1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an image display apparatus, and more specifically, is directed to an image display apparatus capable of avoiding that a displayed repetitive image gives an adverse influence to a biological body of a display viewer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Very recently, adverse influences will be possibly given to viewers (biological bodies) who are watching TV images, or video game images displayed on image display apparatuses, while these images may cause these adverse influences. Japanese newspaper announces very serious problems, for instance, while children viewed the TV animation program, this TV animation induced photosensitive epilepsy of the children.
Presently, two solution manners are provided.
As the first solution manner, TV program broadcasting of risky stimuli patterns is prohibited as defined in, for example, the TV broadcasting regulations effective in the Great Britain. In accordance with this British TV broadcasting regulations, TV program broadcasting of the repetitive stimuli having the frequency higher than, or equal to 3 Hz is prohibited. The reason why broadcasting of such a 3 Hz-frequency repetitive stimulation is prohibited is given as follows. A color repetitive image having a frequency of several tens Hz and containing a red image component is especially harmful to such a biological body having a photosensitive epileptic factor.
As the second solution manner, for example, every person who owns such a photosensitive epileptic factor is tried not to watch a television image which may possibly induce this disease.
However, these first and second solution manners own the following problems. In other words, although this first solution manner may be useful and also safe for any person who owns, for example, such a photosensitive epileptic factor, other persons who do not have such a photosensitive epileptic factor are forcibly limited to enjoy various sorts of TV image representations.
Also, the second solution manner may deprive possibilities of enjoying various sorts of TV image representations from any persons who have such a disease factor. As an example, children who own such a disease factor cannot observe a TV animation program, while this TV animation program becomes popular among other children who never have such a disease factor.
It should be understood that there are many other cases than the above-explained photosensitive epileptic problem. For example, swing-images and/or images which are intentionally swung may induce unpleasant feelings to some persons, and/or may give risky matters to some persons. That is, TV images may possibly give adverse influences to biological bodies.
The essential causing point of the above-described problems such that the TV images and the like may give these adverse influences, or harmful to the biological bodies implies such a fact that xe2x80x9cwhile the sorts/degrees of unpleasant/risky matters are different from each other, depending upon individuals, a picture which never gives any adverse influences to a large number of viewers may become harmful to only a limited number of viewers.xe2x80x9d In other words, there is a fact that the conventionally available television receivers, or image display apparatuses never consider the different feelings among individuals.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-explained conventional problems, and therefore, has an object to provide an image display apparatus capable of suppressing an adverse influence caused by a displayed image, which may be given to a biological body who owns a disease factor.
To achieve the above-described object, an image display apparatus, according to an aspect of the present invention, is featured by comprising:
acceptable level setting means for setting an acceptable level with respect to a factor for giving an influence to a biological body, the influence giving factor being contained in input image information;
level converting means for converting a level of the influence giving factor contained in the input image information into another level in response to the acceptable level set by the acceptable level setting means; and
display means for displaying thereon such input image information produced by level-converting the influence giving factor by the level converting means.
In accordance with such an image display apparatus, for example, a person who owns a photosensitive epileptic factor may set the own acceptable repetitive stimuli by using the acceptable level setting means. The level converting means may convert the influence causing level contained in the input image information into this set acceptable level. As a result, the input image information can be displayed on the display means with maintaining such a level of repetitive stimuli which never gives any adverse influences to the person who owns the photosensitive epileptic factor. Eventually, even when the person who owns such a disease factor enjoys the images which may possibly give the repetitive stimuli, he is not adversely influenced by these repetitive stimuli.